Gradual Emancipation of Slaves After 1780, by Professor John P. Kaminski. This short video examines the gradual but limited emancipation that occurred before the Constitutional Convention. In Northern states, fewer slaves and less racist sentiment enabled states such as Pennsylvania to pass gradual emancipation laws while even some Southern states, where racism was more entrenched, made it easier for slaves to be freed. However, as Professor John Kaminski notes, the great political leaders of the South took no bold actions to free their slaves. Gradual Emancipation of Slaves After 1780 by Professor John P. Kaminski, Director, Center for the Study of the American Constitution, University of Wisconsin-Madison. American History Videos are sponsored by the James Madison Memorial Fellowship Foundation. These videos are offered to help teachers, students and the general public learn more about America's founding and the Constitution of the United States. www.jamesmadison.gov.